Galway International Rally
# Galway International Rally

The Galway Rally, Galway International Rally is an annual motorsport tarmac rallying event held in Galway, Ireland. Promoted and organised by Galway Motor Club, the rally was first ran in 1971. The Galway International Rally is the oldest International rally in Ireland. It has hosted the European Rally Championship stage every year between 1975 and 1982. In 1978 the Galway International Rally hosted the opening stage of the first Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.

## History

The rally ran annually as an International event from its inception in 1971, with only few exceptions. In 2002 it was run under West International Rally name. For various reasons, the events did not run in 1983, 1987, 2003 and 2018.

Galway Rally boasts as the first ever International Rally run in Ireland (1971), the first round of the European Rally Championship run in Ireland (1975), the first computer-generated result system (1975), the first round of the new Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in (1978), the first female Clerk of the Course, Bridget Brophy (1982), the youngest Clerk of the Course of an any International Rally, Mike Smith (1988).

### 2022 event

The season opening rally consisting of over 150 starters ran over two days, 15 stages and 194.4 kilometres around Loughrea area. Scrutiny and Parc Ferme were located at Galway Racecourse, the start/finish podium was setup in the Eyre Square in Galway. The entry fee this year was €1195.

### 2021 event

The 50th anniversary event was cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As restrictions eased off in the second half of the year, the 2022 was expected to take place on the usual first weekend of February.

### 2020 event

Due to low entries the rally launch on 17 January was cancelled, and there was a risk that the event will not go ahead. On 20 January it was announced that the 2020 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally is going to take place as planned on Sunday 2 February with a repeat of the racing format which made the previous year's event a success. The event, managed by Clerk of the Course Gary Leonard, consisted of 9 stages, totaling 104.6 km (65.0 mi). The event was the opening round of the 2020 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, and was run a week earlier than 2019 in order to avoid a clash with the opening British Rally Championship round, the Cambrian Rally. The participant entry fee for the event remained same as last year at €875. The event started with 65 entries, 47 of them reached the finish, with Alastair Fisher as the overall winner. This was the only 2020 championship round that took place before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. On 28 April the Tarmac Rally Organisers' Association announced that the 2020 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship is cancelled.

### 2019 event

Originally planned as two day event, it was reduced to one day, 10 stage event after a consultation with participants. The rally hosted Round 1 of 2019 ITRC and Round 2 of 2019 ITRC Historic championships. Craig Breen finished first overall, 14.4s ahead of Alastair Fisher.

### 2018 event

The event was planned to go ahead in February, however, in November 2017 it was announced that the event is being cancelled due lack of "the necessary financial certainty that is required at this time". Event organisers Galway Motor Club also quoted logistical issues as a reason for cancellation.

### 2017 event

The event planning was counteracted by efforts to stop the rally. One local resident claimed that application for road closures was not properly dealt with. There were very strict conditions attached to the temporary road closure permission. After consultation with local politicians and the Galway County Council it was ruled that the organisers have complied with all of the procedures relating to a temporary road closure, and that the event is cleared to go ahead.

## Roll of Honor

| Year | Full Event Name | Overall winner | Co-driver | Car |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2022 | Corrib Oil Galway International Rally | Josh Moffett | Andy Hayes | Hyundai i20 R5 |
| 2021 | No event, COVID-19 pandemic | No event, COVID-19 pandemic | No event, COVID-19 pandemic | No event, COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020 | Corrib Oil Galway International Rally | Alastair Fisher | Gordon Noble | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 |
| 2019 | Corrib Oil Galway International Rally | Craig Breen | Paul Nagle | Ford Fiesta R5 |
| 2018 | Galway International Rally | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2017 | Corrib Oil Galway International Rally | Garry Jennings | Rory Kennedy | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2016 | Corrib Oil Galway International Rally | Garry Jennings | Rory Kennedy | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2015 | Colm Quinn BMW Galway International Rally | Donagh Kelly | Kevin Flanagan | Ford Focus RS WRC '08 |
| 2014 | Colm Quinn BMW Galway International Rally | Declan Boyle | Brian Boyle | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2013 | Safety Direct Galway International Rally | Keith Cronin | Marshall Clarke | Subaru Impreza S11 WRC '05 |
| 2012 | Safety Direct Galway International Rally | Darren Gass | Enda Sherry | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 |
| 2011 | Safety Direct Galway International Rally | Tim McNulty | Paul Kiely | Subaru Impreza S12B WRC '07 |
| 2010 | Safety Direct Galway International Rally | Gareth MacHale | Brian Murphy | Ford Focus RS WRC '06 |
| 2009 | Galway International Rally | Eugene Donnelly | Paddy Toner | Škoda Fabia WRC |
| 2008 | Galway International Rally | Mark Higgins | Rory Kennedy | Subaru Impreza S12 WRC '06 |
| 2007 | First Choice Flooring Galway International Rally | Marcus Grönholm | Timo Rautiainen | Ford Focus RS WRC '06 |
| 2006 | First Choice Flooring Galway International Rally | Eugene Donnelly | Paul Kiely | Toyota Corolla WRC |
| 2005 | First Choice Flooring Galway International Rally | Eugene Donnelly | Paul Kiely | Toyota Corolla WRC |
| 2004 | First Choice Flooring Galway International Rally | Tapio Laukkanen | Harri Kaapro | Subaru Impreza S7 WRC '01 |
| 2003 | no event | no event | no event | no event |
| 2002 | West International Rally | Eugene Donnelly | Paul Kiely | Subaru Impreza S4 WRC '98 |
| 2001 | Galway International Rally | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2000 | West International Rally | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 1999 | Statoil Galway International Rally | Bertie Fisher | Rory Kennedy | Subaru Impreza 555 |
| 1998 | Statoil Galway International Rally | Austin MacHale | Brian Murphy | Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD |
| 1997 | Statoil Galway International Rally | Austin MacHale | Brian Murphy | Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD (ST185) |
| 1996 | Statoil Galway International Rally | Bertie Fisher | Rory Kennedy Subaru Impreza 555 |
| 1995 | Statoil Galway International Rally | Frank Meagher | Pat Moloughney | Ford Escort RS Cosworth |
| 1994 | Statoil Galway International Rally | Kenny McKinstry | Robbie Philpott | Subaru Legacy RS |
| 1993 | Galway International Rally | Austin MacHale | Dermot O'Gorman | Toyota Celica GT-4 (ST165) |
| 1992 | Clarenbridge Crystal Galway International Rally | Kenny McKinstry | Robbie Philpott | Subaru Legacy RS |
| 1991 | Skoda Sport Galway International Rally | Austin MacHale | Dermot O'Gorman | BMW M3 |
| 1990 | Lydon House Bakery Galway International Rally | Austin MacHale | Ronan McNamee | BMW M3 |
| 1989 | Lydon House Bakery Galway International Rally | Mark Lovell | Ronan Morgan | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth |
| 1988 | Lydon House Galway International Rally | Mark Lovell | Roger Freeman | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth |
| 1987 | no event | no event | no event | no event |
| 1986 | Clarenbridge Crystal Galway International Rally | Billy Coleman | Ronan Morgan | Porsche 911 SC RS |
| 1985 | Galway International Rally | Austin MacHale | Christy Farrell | Opel Manta 400 |
| 1984 | Agip Galway International Rally | Brendan Fagan | Ronan McNamee | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR |
| 1983 | no event | no event | no event | no event |
| 1982 | BP Galway International Rally | Jimmy McRae | Ian Grindrod | Opel Ascona 400 |
| 1981 | Galway International Rally | Ger Buckley | Mr Murphy | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR |
| 1980 | Galway International Rally | Jimmy McRae | Frank Main | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS |
| 1979 | Galway International Rally | Billy Coleman | Frank O'Donoghue | Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII |
| 1978 | Galway International Rally | John Taylor | Phil Short | Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII |
| 1977 | Galway International Rally | Roger Clark | Jim Porter | Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII |
| 1976 | STP Galway International Rally | Billy Coleman | Jim Porter | Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII |
| 1975 | STP Galway Rally | Dessie McCartney | Terry Harryman | Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 |
| 1974 | Galway Rally | no data | no data |
| 1973 | STP Galway Rally | Adrian Boyd | Beatty Crawford | Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI |
| 1972 | STP Galway Rally | Ronnie McCartney | Dessie McCartney | Triumph 2.5 Pi |
| 1971 | STP Galway International Rally | Cathal Curley | Austin Frazer | Ford Escort Twin Cam |

Top drivers with most wins (>1) / most starts (>11). (As of 2022)

| Driver | Most Wins | Most Starts |
| - | - | - |
| Austin MacHale | 6 | 23 |
| Eugene Donnelly | 4 | 12 |
| Billy Coleman | 3 | 12 |
| Mark Lovell | 2 | 2 |
| Jimmy McRae | 2 | 5 |
| Kenny McKinstry | 2 | 10 |
| Bertie Fisher | 2 | 12 |
| Garry Jennings | 2 | 14 |
| Frank Meagher | 1 | 12 |
| Pat Kelly | 0 | 17 |
| Tommy Flanagan | 0 | 14 |
| Eamonn Boland | 0 | 13 |
| David Quigley | 0 | 13 |
| Tom Flaherty | 0 | 13 |
